How To Become A Safe Driver

We at Book Driving Theory suggest, it is not at all difficult to become a safe driver and all is in your hands. It doesn’t happen automatically, you just have to take care of few basic things and follow them religiously:

Always wear your seatbelt and make sure everyone accompanying you must be wearing it.

Seat belts save lives and this is the first and foremost thing that a driver should do before moving the vehicle.

Check your vehicle regularly. You must always check your vehicle before you start a journey and at regular intervals for

(a) Fuel level

(b) Lights including headlamps, indicators, brake lights etc.

(c) Oil levels to protect your engine life

(d) The water level for screen wash, radiator etc. and use anti-freeze in winters.

(f) Air pressure should always be maintained for a safe and economical journey.

(g) Tread depth of the tyre plays an important role in the safe journey as worn tyres reduce the effectiveness of braking, steering and acceleration and they are illegal as well.

Always keep your distance. You should always drive at a safe distance and make sure you are also managing the distance with the driver behind you. You should take special care during the adverse weather conditions and double your distance. Never ever tailgate other vehicles, always remember the “2 (two) seconds” rule.

Keep within your speed limits. There is no need for speed and you won’t get there any quicker. You don’t have to drive up to the speed limit but you have to always consider the road and traffic conditions. You should always take extra care at junctions, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. If someone pulls up and is trying to match your speed, slow down your vehicle. Never ever race with someone, you are driving to reach your destination safely and not racing on a race track.

Look ahead and anticipate. You should be vigilant and look at the furthest point possible as well as observe the behaviour of other drivers around you. You should be able to assess the situation ahead rather than only looking at the vehicle in front of you and blindly following.

Road markings/signs/paint/street lights give you an advance warning of potential danger area which is more prone to accidents. It reflects the past collision history and you should be alert to what might have caused the hazard in the first place and act accordingly by slowing down.

We should always concentrate on driving and should not be distracted by the use of mobile phones, satnav, or even a coffee mug or eat something. Any kind of distraction can be dangerous and we should always concentrate on driving. Nothing is more important than our lives and lives of our accompanying passengers.

People generally don’t hit what is visible clearly, so you should always put yourself visible and not like alongside trucks and vans where another driver can’t see you. Similarly always park at safe distance from others.

Never drive tired. It’s a well-known saying “tiredness kills” and this is a fact. On a long journey always stop for a 15-minute break after every 2 hours.

Always plan your journey well in advance, allowing enough time to arrive safely without the need to drive fast.

Get defensive. Defensive driving is a style of road driving that keeps you away from other people’s problem.

Never ever drink and drive. By drinking and driving, you risk your life, those of your passengers and others on the road.

Finally always be calm and courteous to other drivers. See you driving around on the roads.